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Entries from March 2017

March 28, 2017

It was an eventful week in our adoption center and we are excited to share that 61 pets were adopted last week! We are so thankful to our amazing adoption counselors for their help uniting these pets with new, loving and lasting families. You can help spread the word about our available pets and lifesaving work by "liking" and sharing our social media posts on Facebook and tumblr. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Our adoption center is open every day of the week: Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our website to see some of our dogs and cats currently available for adoption, for directions to our Robins-Starr Humane Center, to view the programs and services we offer and more.

Adoption Specials

Mutt Madness - adoption fees for all dogs are reduced by 15 percent in the month of March.

Seniors for Seniors- Adopters age 60 or older who adopt a cat or dog age 5 years or older are eligible for a $50 adoption fee. Seniors for Seniors is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a cat starter kit, cardboard scratcher and a toy. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. You can learn more about the Seniors for Seniors program here.

Match Finder tool

If you have not seen the pet you’re looking for among the cats and dogs currently available at our humane center, we recommend that you try our free Match Finder tool. This online tool is designed to help you find your new best friend by automatically emailing you when a pet matching your desired criteria is available. If you have any questions, please contact our amazing adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Offsite Adoptions

In addition to having many wonderful cats at our humane center, we also have several felines at the Carytown location of PETCO. If you would like to learn more about these felines or set up an appointment to meet them in person, please call our adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Alumni Updates

Our staff and volunteers love to know what our precious adoptees are up to, so please keep us posted! If you would like to share a picture or story of your adopted pet, please send us an email. If you would like to see your pet featured on one of our social media sites, please tell us in your message that we may share your update.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 27, 2017

About a month ago, I read a plea on Facebook from my friend and fellow animal welfare professional Sue Bell, who was seeking help for a dog halfway around the globe in Kuwait City. Sue, who runs the animal rescue organization Homeward Trails in Northern Virginia and who travels extensively to other countries in order to help animals, was in Kuwait at the time, assisting a large number of dogs in great need of saving.

This February 26 Facebook post led Robin to offer to bring Diamond into the care of the Richmond SPCA.

As I read the message providing details about one particular dog – Diamond – I was immediately moved to assure Sue, who was desperate to find a humane organization willing to take Diamond, that the Richmond SPCA would bring the precious dog into our care.

Many months earlier, Diamond had been hit by a car and was left for dead. To everyone’s amazement, this sweet, affectionate and gentle companion survived her injuries, but lost a rear leg and was paralyzed in the other, leaving her to drag herself through the sandy streets of Kuwait City. A Kuwaiti woman had been looking after Diamond, however, prospects for a lasting home capable of providing for Diamond’s special needs would be far improved in the United States.

When Robin met Diamond this morning at Homeward Trails, the dog immediately pulled herself up and out of her cage to snuggle into Robin's lap.

It took several weeks to arrange for Diamond’s safe transport. Originally, she was scheduled to arrive into Dulles International Airport Saturday, however, devastating flooding in Kuwait City prevented Diamond and Sue, who was traveling with Diamond, from leaving. Thankfully, both Sue and Diamond were finally able to board a plane that arrived into Washington, D.C. last night.

This morning, Laura Palin, our manager of admissions, and I drove to Northern Virginia in order to pick up Diamond, who spent the night at the Homeward Trails’ adoption center. This lovable and resilient girl is now headed back with us to our humane center, where our staff and volunteers anxiously await her arrival.

We have much work ahead of us to prepare Diamond for adoption to a lasting home with a wonderful family, and with your generous support, Diamond will be guaranteed a full and healthy life. The loving arms of our organization are wrapped around Diamond, just as they are the 4,000 other homeless animals we save every year with your help.

Your gift today changes Diamond’s future, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Robin Robertson Starr is the chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 21, 2017

It was a splendid week in our adoption center and we are excited to share that 48 pets were adopted last week! We are so thankful to our amazing adoption counselors for their help uniting these pets with new, loving and lasting families. You can help spread the word about our available pets and lifesaving work by "liking" and sharing our social media posts on Facebook and tumblr. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Our adoption center is open every day of the week: Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our website to see some of our dogs and cats currently available for adoption, for directions to our Robins-Starr Humane Center, to view the programs and services we offer and more.

Adoption Specials

Mutt Madness - adoption fees for all dogs are reduced by 15 percent in the month of March.

Seniors for Seniors- Adopters age 60 or older who adopt a cat or dog age 5 years or older are eligible for a $50 adoption fee. Seniors for Seniors is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a cat starter kit, cardboard scratcher and a toy. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. You can learn more about the Seniors for Seniors program here.

Match Finder tool

If you have not seen the pet you’re looking for among the cats and dogs currently available at our humane center, we recommend that you try our free Match Finder tool. This online tool is designed to help you find your new best friend by automatically emailing you when a pet matching your desired criteria is available. If you have any questions, please contact our amazing adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Offsite Adoptions

In addition to having many wonderful cats at our humane center, we also have several felines at the Carytown location of PETCO. If you would like to learn more about these felines or set up an appointment to meet them in person, please call our adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Alumni Updates

Our staff and volunteers love to know what our precious adoptees are up to, so please keep us posted! If you would like to share a picture or story of your adopted pet, please send us an email. If you would like to see your pet featured on one of our social media sites, please tell us in your message that we may share your update.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 16, 2017

Last night, the Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors, despite overwhelming public opposition, voted to enact a zoning amendment that will limit the number of cats a resident can keep to six. Previously, there had been no limit. The reason for this change? According to the supervisors, a single situation involving just one resident in the county prompted the measure’s introduction and ultimate passage. The result? Policy, with immense unintended consequences, that will now affect countless residents and innumerable innocent cats – all to prevent a single individual from keeping a substantially large number of cats on her own property (it is worth noting that this person has been routinely found to be providing responsible care to her cats). If this approach to resolving a single issue sounds like a bad idea to you, that is because it unquestionably is.

Board of Supervisors Chair Dorothy Jaeckle, who represents the Bermuda district and introduced the amendment, assured those who attended the meeting that the county would not be proactive in its enforcement of the new law. I’d encourage residents of the county who keep more than six cats (now or in the future) to mention that when the county asks them to file for their special exceptions.

The Richmond SPCA, which has more than 15,000 constituents living in Chesterfield County, was present for the Board of Supervisors’ meeting last evening, and we were joined by other private organizations as well as residents who shared our wide array of concerns regarding this amendment. You can read the reasons we outlined for our opposition to the measure in the text of our remarks to the board.

The Richmond SPCA is grateful to Supervisor Chris Winslow, who represents the Clover Hill district, for speaking with us earlier in the week to hear our concerns related to this measure before it was presented last night for a vote. We also appreciate very much his efforts, though unsuccessful, to have the vote delayed so that other options or revised language could be explored. Mr. Winslow cast the sole dissenting vote yesterday evening, and we thank him for his rejection of an ill-designed, targeted policy that hurts many more people and animals than it could ever hope to help.

If you are a resident of the county and share our concerns and frustrations, I hope you will consider writing to your supervisor to let him or her know of your dissatisfaction.

Tamsen Kingry is the chief operating officer of the Richmond SPCA. To read her biography or that of our other regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 14, 2017

It was a wondrous week in our adoption center and we are excited to share that 56 pets were adopted last week! We are so thankful to our amazing adoption counselors for their help uniting these pets with new, loving and lasting families. You can help spread the word about our available pets and lifesaving work by "liking" and sharing our social media posts on Facebook and tumblr. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Here are the cats who were adopted this past week (click photo to enlarge):

Our adoption center is open every day of the week: Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our website to see some of our dogs and cats currently available for adoption, for directions to our Robins-Starr Humane Center, to view the programs and services we offer and more.

Adoption Specials

St. Catty's Day - From March 13 through March 17, adoption fees for all cats are reduced 25 percent.

Mutt Madness - Through the month of March, adoption fees for all dogs are reduced 15 percent.

Seniors for Seniors - Adopters age 60 or older who adopt a cat or dog age 5 years or older are eligible for a $50 adoption fee. Seniors for Seniors is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a cat starter kit, cardboard scratcher and a toy. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. You can learn more about the Seniors for Seniors program here.

Match Finder tool

If you have not seen the pet you’re looking for among the cats and dogs currently available at our humane center, we recommend that you try our free Match Finder tool. This online tool is designed to help you find your new best friend by automatically emailing you when a pet matching your desired criteria is available. If you have any questions, please contact our amazing adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Offsite Adoptions

In addition to having many wonderful cats at our humane center, we also have several felines at the Carytown location of PETCO. If you would like to learn more about these felines or set up an appointment to meet them in person, please call our adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Alumni Updates

Our staff and volunteers love to know what our precious adoptees are up to, so please keep us posted! If you would like to share a picture or story of your adopted pet, please send us an email. If you would like to see your pet featured on one of our social media sites, please tell us in your message that we may share your update.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.

March 08, 2017

It was a fantastic week in our adoption center and we are excited to share that 67 pets were adopted last week! We are so thankful to our amazing adoption counselors for their help uniting these pets with new, loving and lasting families. You can help spread the word about our available pets and lifesaving work by "liking" and sharing our social media posts on Facebook and tumblr. You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

Here are the cats who were adopted this past week (click on photo to enlarge):

Our adoption center is open every day of the week: Monday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit our website to see some of our dogs and cats currently available for adoption, for directions to our Robins-Starr Humane Center, to view the programs and services we offer and more.

Adoption Specials

“Mutt Madness”- Adoption fees for all dogs and puppies will be reduced by 15 percent throughout the month of March!

Seniors for Seniors- Adopters age 60 or older who adopt a cat or dog age 5 years or older are eligible for a $50 adoption fee. Seniors for Seniors is an ongoing adoption promotion. Adoption of a cat in this program will include a cat starter kit, cardboard scratcher and a toy. Adoption of a dog through this program includes a leash and collar, food and water bowl and a toy. You can learn more about the Seniors for Seniors program here.

Match Finder tool

If you have not seen the pet you’re looking for among the cats and dogs currently available at our humane center, we recommend that you try our free Match Finder tool. This online tool is designed to help you find your new best friend by automatically emailing you when a pet matching your desired criteria is available. If you have any questions, please contact our amazing adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Offsite Adoptions

In addition to having many wonderful cats at our humane center, we also have several felines at the Carytown location of PETCO. If you would like to learn more about these felines or set up an appointment to meet them in person, please call our adoption team at 804-521-1307.

Alumni Updates

Our staff and volunteers love to know what our precious adoptees are up to, so please keep us posted! If you would like to share a picture or story of your adopted pet, please send us an email. If you would like to see your pet featured on one of our social media sites, please tell us in your message that we may share your update.

To read the biographies of our regular bloggers, please click here. Before posting a comment, please review our comment guidelines. Please note that our comment policy requires a first and last name to be used as your screen name.